Lead AGAPE Director

renee@affcny.orgĀ  | 607-272-0034 X1015

Renee (she/her) joined the Coalition in February of 2017. She is the Lead AGAPE Director out of the Central New York, Southern Finger, and Finger Lakes region of New York State. She is dedicated to the well-being of adoptive, foster, and kinships families. She is proud to lead a team of experts who support adoptive and guardianship families in eight counties.Ā 

Renee has been parenting children from adverse histories for over twenty-five years as a foster, adoptive, and kinship parent. She is currently parenting four children who joined her family through inter-country adoption. She cares for children with special medical, learning, developmental, and mental health needs. Renee has worked in the field of adoption and foster care since 2004 as an adoption social worker and program director supporting families adopting domestically and internationally.

She has published articles inĀ Adoption TodayĀ andĀ Adoptive FamiliesĀ (national adoption magazines). She is the author of the bookĀ My Kids Know More Than Me! 15 Life Lessons from Foster and Adopted Children.Ā Renee is also a trainer on the topics of adverse childhood experiences, the adaptation of the brain from toxic stress and trauma, resiliency, and therapeutic parenting. She has also been featured on radio and podcast broadcasts in regard to parenting children with traumatic histories and with mental health challenges. Renee earned a Master of Social Work degree from Marywood University and has been a Licensed Master Social Worker since 2005. She also holds a Masterā€™s Degree in Audiology from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelorā€™s Degree in Speech/Language Pathology from Ithaca College.

Connect with Renee and find her on the AFFCNY.Network!